2a person you communicate with on a social networking websiteHow many friends have you got on Facebook?

supporter

3a person who supports an organization, a charity, etc., especially by giving or raising money; a person who supports a particular idea, etc.the Friends of St Martin’s Hospitala friend of democracyTheatre tickets are 10% cheaper for Friends.See related entries:Helping others

not enemy

4a person who has the same interests and opinions as yourself, and who will help and support youYou're among friends here—you can speak freely.His eyes were moving from face to face: friend or foe?

silly/annoying person

5(ironic)used to talk about somebody you do not know who has done something silly or annoyingI wish our friend at the next table would shut up.

in parliament/court

6(in Britain)used by a member of parliament to refer to another member of parliament or by a lawyer to refer to another lawyer in a court of lawmy honourable friend, the member for Henley (= in the House of Commons)my noble friend(= in the House of Lords)my learned friend(= in a court of law)

Word OriginOld Englishfrēond, of Germanic origin; related to Dutchvriend and GermanFreund, from an Indo-European root meaning

‘to love’

, shared by free.Extra examplesDoes your sister have any single friends?Even his own friends don’t believe him.He finds it difficult to make friends.He introduced me to his circle of friends.He was last seen leaving a restaurant with a female friend.He won’t win any friends if he carries on talking like that.Her best friend at school was called Anna.I was given this necklace by a good friend of mine.I’m inviting only my closest friends to the party.If you need a friend, just call me.It was so relaxing to be among old friends.My so-called friends are making fun of me because of my weight.People he had trusted turned out to be only fair-weather friends.She doesn’t have many good friends.She’s made friends with the little girl who lives next door.They became friends after meeting at college.We met each other through a mutual friend.We stayed friends even after we grew up and left home.a friend from high schoolHe’s one of my best friends.I heard about it through a friend of a friend.Is he a friend of yours?She has a wide circle of friends.She met up with some of her old school friends.She’s an old friend.a childhood/​family/​lifelong friendIdioms